The Feast of St Sarkis the Captain, his son Mardiros and his 14 soldiers-companions, one of the most beloved saints of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church, was solemnly marked at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, on January 21, 2016. The event was organized by the tolerance and cultural diversity university club with active participation of the university students of Armenian descent and preparatory courses students, within frames of Promoting Integration, Tolerance and Awareness Program (PITA).

In attendance were, the Vice Rector, Prof. Darejan Tvaltvadze; Acting Dean of the Faculty of Philology, Professor Nani Gaprindashvili; the head of the Georgian language program, Professor Kakha Gabunia, the teaching staff of this program, representatives of the Centre for Civil Integration and Inter-Ethnic Relations (CCIIR), the students.

The clergyman of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Rev. Father Ghevond Topashyan, the Director of the Hayartyn Cultural, Educational and Youth Center of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Levon Chidilyan, the Director of the Diocesan Youth Department, Valery Badalian, were among the guests.

Father Ghevond Topashyan, the clergyman of Saint Gevorg Church in Tbilisi, the Cathedral Church of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, blessed the people present, and spoke about how St. Sarkis the Captain, his son Mardiros and his 14 soldiers-companions were martyred for the sake of Christian faith. He also emphasized that by the order of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the feast was proclaimed day of blessing of the youth, and mentioned various folk traditions.

The event was supported by the Hayartun Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia (the director of the Center, Levon Chidilyan). The Armenian national songs, dances and music performed by the center’s creative groups and solo performers added festivity to the event.

The event organizers (lecturer Zoya Mkhitaryan, student Liza Torosyan, who hosted the event) also presented Armenian national stand, which was kindly provided by the headmistress of Gary Davtyan Puppet and Culture House, Zhana Davtyan. The guests were served traditional dishes and sweets especially made during the Feast of Saint Sarkis. After that they received salty cookies; the appearance of the future bride or bridegroom in a dream is related to eating of the salty cookie.